Hon. Membe in light talk with Brigadier General Derrick Mwamunyange, Chief of Military Intelligence, Tanzania People’s Defence Forces.
(Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)
Dar Hosts its First Organ Troika Summit
By TAGIE DAISY MWAKAWAGO
Tanzania hosted its first Organ Troika Summit yesterday as the new Chairman of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, after inherited its Chairmanship from Mozambique in August of this year in Maputo. The one-day Summit was held at Hyatt Regence (Kilimanjaro) Hotel in Dar es Salaam. Chaired by President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the Summit commended the report on Kigali presented by the Mozambique President Armando Emilio Guebuza, who was also in attendance, saying that it provided views and ideas on finding solutions to the crisis in Eastern Congo -DRC. “We reviewed said report and discuss on what steps need to be followed,” said President Kikwete, while briefing reporters after the closed-doors Summit ended. The Summit was also attended by President Hifikepunye Pohamba from Namibia, President Joseph Kabila Kabange from Congo-DRC and Hon. Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula, the South African Minister of Defence representing President Jacob Zuma. President Kikwete said that the Organ Troika discussed the developments of constitution in Zimbabwe as it is in its final stages, the long standing crisis in Madagascar and the Eastern Congo-DRC issue. He said the Summit commended the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on its efforts in finding lasting solution to the eastern DRC challenges and expressed the SADC readiness to work together with the ICLGR. Congo-DRC is a member of both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the ICLGR, a mere reason why the Kigali report and its findings were tabled as part issues to be discussed in this Summit. He also reiterated that the Organ Troika’s responsibilities include review and follow up of any outstanding issues, even if they coincide with those of the ICLGR. With that, the Summit restated the need for the Executive Secretaries of SADC and ICGLR to work together. The Summit also reviewed the briefing on Angola elections, which was presented by Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Relations. In that the Summit commended the people of Angola for holding peaceful, credible, free and fair elections on 31 August, 2012. “We congratulate President Eduardo dos Santos for his momentum victory and wishing people of Angola well as they embark a new chapter in continuing to build their country,” said President Kikwete. In closing, the Organ Troika Summit expressed its appreciation for the Government of United Republic of Tanzania for hosting the Summit and its warm hospitality throughout the day. |
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